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Climate CoLab is such a Great Place to Build a Project

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Martin Kailie

Jul 19, 2016
02:30

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Many thanks to the judges for selecting Eco-Cassava to the Finalist stage. That said,kindly let me say a word in response to judgments on the Finalist selection. Realistically, Eco-Cassava cannot solve all the problems of women farmers in Africa. The project will contribute by empowering farmers to adapt to climate change. Just the starting point. The issue of access to land will certainly arise, during implementation. The project will help women farmers to access farmland by negotiating with traditional leaders, community leaders and family heads. Once organized as a farmers’ cooperative, the group will help advocate for social justice issues that affect them, including access to farmland. It will take some time to go round the problem. I don’t we have to wait until an age-old problem is solved before women farmers can start-up their small farm businesses. The project will use community-based adaptation strategies and participatory tools to ensure that the women farmers emerge as small scale entrepreneurs, from the un-paid farm labor they are currently in. I am very happy about the judgments on bonded labor. Eco-Cassava will support women farmers to start their own cassava plantations. The government has been talking about drafting a new land policy. Global temperatures are expected to rise, and so will be unpredictable of rains, and prolonged dry seasons. Cassava is tolerant to hot temperatures, prolonged dry seasons, and torrential rains. This is what I mean by ‘climate smart’. I propose cassava for women farmers because they are already experienced in the subsistence cultivation, and they are highly interested in the commercial production. The crop is also appropriate for poor farmers because it is cheap to produce, in that it does not require irrigation or fertilization. It will also support household food security as women headed households are more food insecure. Once again, I highly appreciate that the comments and rulings of the judges has helped me to look at these issues in detail, and plan ahead as to how they could be best resolved. Please join my team on Eco-Cassava. My people say Many hands make work lighter. Regards, Martin Kailie Founder and CEO Green Africa Inc.